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12 Jul 2013

Stroud Valleys Project; national winners of prestigious award!

Octavia Hill - NT founder

Back in January I nominated Stroud Valleys Project for the national Octavia Hill Award in the Green Spaces category - they were selected from over 140 to go forward to the vote along with two others in that category (see here). Well the news today can be made public that they won!!!

Here's the quote I gave to press: "I had no hesitation in recommending Stroud Valleys Project for this prestigious national award - they have a fantastic reputation for working with all parts of our community. This is great recognition for all the staff and volunteers who are so inspiring and passionate about our green spaces. We are indeed fortunate to have such a great organisation in the district making such an important contribution to our local environment."Well done indeed!! Below is the National Trust press release....

A group of green space guardians marking their silver
jubilee, a red squirrel champion and a passionate birdwatcher are this
year’s green heroes celebrated in our Octavia Hill Awards.

The three winners, who saw off strong competition to claim the ultimate accolade, feature in the July issue of Countryfile Magazine, with an awards ceremony for all of the shortlisted finalists in the autumn.

The awards are named after Trust founder and social reformer Octavia
Hill who died in August 1912, and are run in partnership with
Countryfile Magazine.

Helen Timbrell, our Volunteering and Community Involvement Director and one of the judges, said:'Being a volunteer is in our national DNA and it’s great that these
awards recognise and celebrate the commitment, passion and determination
of the people that care for the green spaces that matter so much to
them. The standard of nominations for the Octavia Hill Awards this year
was really high and shows that the spirit of volunteering is alive and
well.'

Now into its 25th year the Stroud Valleys Project works with a
variety of volunteers to ensure green spaces and unused land is taken
care in the area. This year it has launched a ‘Get Growing’ project in
23 local schools and they’re now looking to improve 25 wildflower
meadows, and if they can’t find enough, are willing to create them.

'Love Places' award - Allan Davies, County Antrim in Northern Ireland

Having walked 20 long-distance footpaths, taking him around the whole
of the UK and thoroughly enjoying the experience, Allan felt that
having retired, it was time to give something back. Now, a volunteer at
Cushendun for almost three years, Allan has been proactively working to
increase the number of rare and much loved red squirrels on the site,
creating a better habitat for them, and helping to improve disabled
access.

'Natural Hero' - Mike Barrett in Norfolk

At 89 years old, Mike has been interested in nature all his life. He
ran a 15-acre nature reserve at the power plant where he worked and has
helped with the Marsh Harrier Monitoring project at RSPB Titchwell
Marsh reserve. Today Mike is still volunteering at Titchwell Marsh,
four half-days a week helping people with wildlife queries and hands-on
reserve management.

Judging the entries

The awards attracted more than 140 entries and a final shortlist was
selected by a panel of judges. Sitting on the panel were Helen Timbrell,
Volunteering and Community Involvement Director at the Trust, Fergus
Collins, Editor of Countryfile Magazine, Grahame Hindes, Chief Executive
of Octavia House and Julia Bradbury, Countryfile presenter, and Matt
Smith, who were both winners of a 2012 Octavia Hill Award. The public
then voted, in their thousands, for the shortlisted entries.

Fergus Collins, editor of Countryfile Magazine, said,
'If it wasn’t for an army of volunteers offering their skills, energy
and spare time for free, we would have significantly fewer beautiful,
wild green spaces in both countryside and cities. From conservationists
to craftspeople, campaigners and gardeners, these people are the unsung
heroes who deserve all of our thanks. Octavia Hill understood the enormous value of green spaces for the
physical and emotional well-being of local communities. She would
certainly have been proud of this year’s winners.'

Each of the winners will receive a specially commissioned bowl made by Tony Alderman who works at the National Trust’s Chartwell
in Kent. The bowls have been made using English elm, oak and yew
collected from woods near to Crockham in Kent where Octavia Hill lived.

"Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day I can hear her breathing."Arundhati Roy

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I note that these blogs entries may not be the views of the Green Party, but could be considered campaign material during an election. It must therefore be noted they are printed by, promoted by and on behalf of the Stroud District Green Party, 2 The Laurels, Bread Street, Ruscombe, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6 6EL.